SIMONO, NIMROD (b. Salmās, 1908; d. Tehran, 2004), Assyrian author, editor, and Aramaic specialist (Figure 1).

Simono was born in the district of Salmās (Salamas), in the village of Golozān (also Guliser). Displaced during World War I with other Christians of the region when his elementary education was disrupted, he continued his studies at the French Lazarist Mission in Tabriz in 1920-23, and when the slow process of resettlement in Urmia began, he attended the Catholic Seminary in Urmia in 1923-31. Recognizing his talent and interest in the Aramaic language and its structure, in the following year, he received a scholarship to continue his studies in Paris, at the Lazarist Seminary, where he graduated in 1934 and continued for another three years at the Lazarite Theological Seminary in Dax, France. He completed his theology and philosophy studies in 1938 at the Theological University of the Dominican Roman Fathers in Rome and returned that same year to Iran. After completing his obligatory military service, Simono was employed for about twenty years was with various foreign companies in the railroad and oil industries.

Fluent in many languages, including Latin, French, Italian, Persian, Turkish, Armenian, and English, Simono was a recognized scholar of classical Syriac and the modern Assyrian language. In cooperation with Adday Alkhas (1897-1959), and his brother Jean Alkhas (1908-69), Simono helped to establish the first Assyrian periodical in Iran after World War I and its tragic destruction of Assyrian culture in Urmia. From 1952 to 1961, Simono edited Gilgamesh—a cultural periodical in vernacular Assyrian. For many years, he offered advanced Assyrian Aramaic language classes for teachers in Assyrian schools in Tehran and in Sydney, Australia. At the same time, he authored books on Assyrian Aramaic grammar, commentaries on Assyrian literature, biographies of Assyrian scholars, and anthologies of 20th century Assyrian poetry.

Simono was the literary advisor for Kurosh Benyamin ( 1914-80) in the publication of his popular seven volume Assyrian language textbooks, and undertook the task of editing the unpublished writings of the author and playwright, William Sarmas (1910-85). He died in Tehran in 2004.

Much of Simono’s published works on language appeared from the Tehran or Assyrian diaspora presses. He brought into better focus the works of Assyrian and poets and scholars such as Mār Tōmā Ōdō (q.v.; 1853-1918) and Simono’s contemporaries, the poet and musician William Daniel (1904-85) and the poet Jean Alkhas.